Question: How can I make my grill kosher?
Our interfaith family loves grilled food. My stepdaughter, who eats kosher food, is coming home for a few months. What do I need to do so that she can cook her kosher meat on our grill?
Answer: The best advice I can give you is to discuss this with your stepdaughter directly. Different individuals observe different standards of kashrut - each one believing that they are satisfying the "correct" interpretation of dietary laws (kosher laws).
Secondly, if she agrees, you might speak with her Rabbi for help understanding their level of kashrut.
Lastly, I would suggest the following for making your grill kosher. Raise the temperature to a red-hot level for at least a half hour; Some people use a blow torch. The goal is to burn off any residue from non-kosher meat. Secondly, purchase kosher meat from a reliable kosher butcher. In addition, keep the kosher meat separate from non-kosher utensils or containers. In other words, if you used plates with non-kosher meat in the past, those same plates should not be used with the kosher meat now. I suggest disposable dishes and utensils for eating and storage.
Another possible solution is to purchase inexpensive permanent dishes, flatware, pots, pans, BBQ, etc. that are used only when she visits. In this case, you could use dish tubs (instead of the sink or dishwasher) for both washing and later storing.
Thank you for your consideration of our traditional laws and customs. May your entire family be blessed with health and joy in a world at peace this coming year and for many years to come.
Rabbi Dov
